Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. The bones maintain over 99% of the body's calcium. This vital mineral is required for the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. Calcium also assists in enzyme actions involving muscle contraction, neurotransmitter release, the regulation of heart beat, and blood clotting. In children, calcium deficiency is associated with rickets, bone deformities, and growth retardation. Adult deficiency leads to osteomalacia (softening of bones). Muscle spasms and cramps, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and colon and rectal cancers are also attributed to low calcium levels.

At optimal levels calcium may be able to prevent osteoporosis. It is estimated that 20 million people in the United States suffer from this disease. While bone loss effects both men and women after age 40, women are at a greater risk. Osteoporosis affects every one in four postmenopausal women. These women are at an increased risk because of lower estrogen levels. This hormone helps calcium enter the bones. Calcium supplements were shown in 1994 to decrease this bone loss in postmenopausal women.¹ Diets high in calcium are also associated with lower incidences of osteoporosis. A 1983 study found persons on vegetarian diets suffer less bone loss. This may be due to a lower protein intake. Diets high in protein, phosphate, and refined sugar increase calcium excretion.

Research results are mixed on calcium. There is a suggested link between dietary intake of calcium and blood pressure but the association is not as strong as it is with potassium and magnesium. One study showed calcium can produce effective blood pressure reduction in blacks and salt-sensitive hypertension patients but not in salt-resistant hypertension patients.² Another study found that calcium citrate achieved better results than calcium carbonate.³ (Citrate is also beneficial because it does not appear to increase calcium oxalate kidney stones. Potassium and sodium citrates have been shown to inhibit kidney stone formation.) ⁴

Calcium may also have a role in preventing the development of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclempsia (a serious condition of pregnancy associated with elevated blood pressure, fluid retention, and loss of protein in the urine.) A study on the effects of calcium supplementation on pregnant women, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concluded "Pregnant women who receive calcium supplementation after the 20th week of pregnancy have a reduced risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy." Given its possible role in reducing pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclempsia and its nutritional importance, calcium supplementation should be part of an overall supplementation program.⁵ While many vegetables contain calcium, it is difficult to get enough of this mineral from these sources due to their oxalic acid content. Oxalic acid converts calcium into an insoluble compound which is excreted from the body unabsorbed. Some greens which contain oxalic acid and are therefore not great sources of calcium include spinach, beet tops, rhubarb, Swiss chard, and cocoa. Kale and members of the cabbage family are excellent sources of calcium.

Care should be taken when selecting calcium supplements because some contain the toxic metal lead. Forms which may have high lead contents are dolomite, bone meal, unrefined calcium carbonate, and other chelates. It is also advised to use calcium that is bound to citrate, gluconate, or other organic molecules. Chelated forms of this mineral are the best absorbed.

• Almonds
• Brazil nuts
• Caviar
• Cheese
• Kelp
• Milk
• Milk products
• Molasses
• Salmon, canned
• Sardines, canned
• Shrimp
• Soybeans
• Tofu
• Turnip greens
• Yogurt

Available as:

• Tablets: Take with meals or 1 to 1-1/2 hours after meals unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
• Chewable tablets: Chew well before swallowing. l Calcium comes in the following forms: calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, chelated bisglycinate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium phosphate.
• Some forms of calcium include calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, chelated bisglycinate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, and calcium phosphate

PROVEN BENEFITS:

• Helps prevent osteoporosis in older people.
• Treats calcium depletion in people with hypoparathyroidism, osteomalacia, rickets.
• Treats low-calcium levels in people taking anti-convulsant medication.
• Treats tetany (severe muscle spasms) caused by insect bites, sensitivity reactions, cardiac arrest, lead poisoning.
• Is used as an antidote to magnesium poisoning.
• Prevents muscle cramps in some people.
• Promotes normal growth and development.
• Builds bones and teeth. l Maintains bone density and strength.
• Buffers acid in stomach and acts as antacid.
• Helps regulate heartbeat, blood clotting, muscle contraction.
• Treats neonatal hypocalcemia.
• Promotes storage and release of some body hormones.
• Promotes use of amino acids.
• Lowers phosphate concentrations in people with chronic kidney disease.

What this mineral does:

• Participates in metabolic functions necessary for normal activity of nervous, muscular, skeletal systems.
• Plays important role in normal heart function, kidney function, blood clotting, blood-vessel integrity.
• Helps utilization of Vitamin B-12.

SPECULATED UNPROVED BENEFITS:

• Helps prevent insomnia and anxiety (acts as a natural tranquilizer).
• Helps prevent hypertension.
• Treats allergies.
• Decreases likelihood of hardening of arteries.
• Treats leg cramps.
• Treats diabetes.
• Treats throat spasms.

• Anyone with inadequate caloric or dietary intake or increased nutritional requirements or who does not like or consume milk products.
• People allergic to milk and milk products or who don't tolerate them well.
• Older people (over 55 years), particularly women.
• Women throughout adult life, especially during pregnancy and lactation, but not limited to these times.
• Those who abuse alcohol or other drugs.
• People with a chronic wasting illness, excess stress for long periods or who have recently undergone surgery.
• Those with a portion of the gastrointestinal tract surgically removed.
• People with recent severe burns or injuries.

Miscellaneous information:

• Bones serve as storage site for calcium in the body. There is a constant interchange between calcium in bone and the bloodstream.
• Foods rich in calcium (or supplements) help maintain the balance between bone needs and blood needs.
• Don't discard outer parts of vegetables during food preparation.
• Exercise, a balanced diet, calcium from natural sources or supplements and estrogens are important in treating and preventing osteoporosis.

• Osteoporosis (late symptoms): frequent fractures in spine and other bones, deformed spinal column with humps, loss of height
• Osteomalacia: frequent fractures
• Muscle contractions
• Convulsive seizures
• Muscle cramps
• Low backache

UNPROVED SPECULATED SYMPTOMS

• Uncontrollable temper outbursts

1 From Griffith HW, Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements.

LAB TESTS TO DETECT DEFICIENCY :

• 24-hour urine collection to measure calcium levels (Sulkowitch)
• Serum-calcium levels
• Imaging procedures to scan for bone density (more reliable than above tests)

Optimal Levels

• 200-1200 mg

Minimum Dosage

• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Estimate of adequate daily intake by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council, 1989. Many doctors and nutritionists recommend women take more calcium than quoted by the RDA. They recommend 1,000 milligrams per day for pre-menopausal women and 1,500 milligrams per day for post-menopausal women and elderly men.

Different types of calcium supplements contain more available calcium (also called ELEMENTAL CALCIUM) than others. To provide 1,000mg of available calcium, you must take at least:

• 3 tablets/day of 835mg calcium carbonate
• 2 tablets/day of 1,250mg calcium carbonate
• 2 tablets/day of 1,500mg calcium carbonate

Check contents of product you choose to determine how many tablets are needed to provide the amount of calcium you require.

Don't take if you:

• Are allergic to calcium or antacids.
• Have a high blood-calcium level.
• Have sarcoidosis.

Consult your doctor if you have:

• Kidney disease.
• Chronic constipation, colitis, diarrhea.
• Stomach or intestinal bleeding.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Kidney stones. Calcium can prevent some kidney stones and aggravate others.

Over age 55:

• Adverse reactions and side effects are more likely.
• Constipation is likely.

Pregnancy:

• May need extra calcium. Consult doctor about supplements.

Breast feeding:

• Mineral passes into milk. Consult doctor about supplements.

Effect on lab tests:

• Serum-amylase and serum 11-hydroxycorticosteroid concentrations can be increased.
• Decreases serum-phosphate concentration with excessive, prolonged use.

Storage:

• Store in cool, dry area away from direct light, but don't freeze.
• Store safely out of reach of children.
• Don't store in bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture may change action of mineral.

Others:

• Dolomite or bone meal may be UNSAFE sources of calcium because some brands contain lead.
• Avoid taking calcium within 1 or 2 hours of meals or ingestion of other medicines, if possible.
• Some calcium carbonate is derived from oyster shells. Calcium carbonate derived from this source is generally not recommended.¹

OVERDOSE/TOXICITY

Signs and symptoms:

• Confusion
• high blood pressure
• increased sensitivity of eyes and skin to light
• increased thirst
• slow or irregular heartbeat
• depression
• bone or muscle pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• skin itching
• skin rash
• increased urination.

What to do:

• For symptoms of overdosage: Discontinue mineral, and consult doctor immediately. Also see ADVERSE REACTIONS OR SIDE EFFECTS.¹

ADVERSE REACTIONS OR SIDE EFFECTS

Early signs of too much calcium in blood:

Late signs of too much calcium in blood:

INTERACTION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES

OTHER INTERACTION INFORMATION:

• Tobacco, Alcohol, Tea, and Coffee decreased absorption of calcium
• Don't take calcium with milk or other dairy products so your body can absorb the most calcium from food AND calcium supplement.
• Avoid eating spinach, rhubarb, bran, whole-grain cereals, fresh fruits or fresh vegetables at same time you take calcium. They may prevent efficient absorption.

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